Buy an essay: Analysis of the strengths and limitations of existential theories of B.F Skinner, Albert Bandura and Abraham Maslow

The word “personality” comes from the Latin “persona”. Personality may be defined as the characteristic, behavior – response patterns that each person evolves, both consciously and unconsciously, as his style of life. The personality represents a compromise between inner drives and needs, and the controls that limit or regulate their expression. (Carver & Scheier 2004).
Personality theories represent organized attempts to contribute significantly to our understanding of human behavior from within the province of psychology. They are concerned not only with the total functioning of the individual but also with individual differences between people.
Despite the many different interpretations of existentialism and its theories, among them it is possible to highlight some common features. The main idea is that “Only such a truth exists in reality for the man that he himself makes by his actions.” That means that people are looking for the meaning of their lives, they ask themselves (though not always consciously) the critical questions of life: Who am I? Is life worth to live? Does it make sense? How can I make my personal calling?
Existentialists hold the view that each of us in the first place is responsible for who he is, and we can not blame parents, teachers, bosses, God or circumstances for the life we have. As Sartre said: “man is nothing like what he makes of himself”. This is the first principle of existentialism. ((Jacobsen 2000))
Existential theory of interpersonal behavior of B.F. Skinner is concerned with the overt actions of people as determined by their life experiences. Skinner contended that behavior is lawfully determined, predictable, and environmentally controlled. He firmly rejected the notion of an inner “autonomous” agent as the cause of human actions and disregarded physiological – genetic explanations of behavior. (Jacobsen 2000)
Skinner recognized two major kinds of behavior: respondent behavior, which is elicited by a known stimulus, and operant behavior, which is emitted and controlled by the consequence that follows it. An operant response followed by a positive outcome tends to be repeated, whereas an operant response followed by a negative outcome tends not to be repeated. For Skinner, behavior is best understood in terms of responses to the environment.
The other theory of interpersonal behavior is a social cognitive perspective in personality , represented by Albert Bandura. Bandura’s major theoretical concept is that of modeling of learning through observation. Observational learning is governed by four interrelated factors – attentional, retention, motor reproduction, and motivational processes.
His theory belongs to the humanistic psychology, that is radically different from that of either psychoanalysis or behaviorism. Heavily influenced by existential philosophy, humanistic psychology has as its basic tenets the individual as an integrated whole, with an emphasis on the study of psychological health.
It is important to point the theory of Abraham Maslow. One major statement of humanistic psychology depicts human motivation in terms of a hierarchy of ascending priorities. Lower (more basic) needs in the hierarchy must be reasonably satisfied before higher – level needs emerge as dominant energizing forces in the person’s behavior. So Maslow’s hierarchy of human needs is: (1) physiological; (2) safety and security; (3) belongingness and love; (4) self – esteem; and (5) self – actualization. ()
Maslow’s work explores and highlights the rich potential in human self-actualization – a major influence in the development of spiritual care and counselling. This perspective inspires the goal of liberating and actualizing the growth potential of individuals and their relationships in concert with humanizing communal and institutional life. The humanistic nature of Maslow’s theory is epitomized in the self – actualization level, the highest fulfillment of self.
Existential psychology is of great value for its ability to organize and use all that is good for personal development, but as a scientific system had not acquired any importance in the context of new theoretical directions, either in the field of practices.

References:

Carver, C., & Scheier, M. (2004). Perspectives on Personality (5th ed.). Boston: Pearson.
Maslow. (1971). The Farther Reaches of Human Nature. New York: Viking

Jacobsen B. (2008). Invitation to Existential Psychology: A Psychology for the Unique Human Being and Its Applications in Therapy. Retrieved from: